Choose Spokenly if you want unlimited dictation for free, speech recognised on your Mac, a switch that blocks network access, or the option to plug in your own cloud API keys. Choose Wispr Flow if you want a managed cloud service with automatic cleanup and nothing to configure, an Android app, a meeting Notetaker, or published audit reports for a security review. This is a choice of architecture, not just price: Wispr transcribes every dictation in its cloud and needs a connection, while Spokenly's local Whisper and Parakeet models are "$0 forever" and work offline, as of 1 October 2026.
Publisher note: SuprFlow publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Competitor details come from each company's own pages, checked on 1 October 2026. Prices and features change; confirm before you buy.
We have not run a controlled benchmark of either app, so this page does not say which one is more accurate.
Who should pick which?
- You dictate more than 2,000 words a week and do not want to pay: Spokenly's local models have no word cap. Wispr Free stops at 2,000 a week on desktop.
- You work offline, or audio must stay on the Mac: Spokenly with a local model and Local Only Mode.
- You want cleanup of filler words and self-corrections with no setup: Wispr Flow, on every plan.
- You use Android: Wispr Flow. Spokenly lists macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS.
- You use Linux: Spokenly.
- Your security team wants a SOC 2 report or a BAA: Wispr Flow publishes both. We found no audit report on the Spokenly pages we read.
How do Wispr Flow and Spokenly compare?
As of 1 October 2026. Wispr details are from its pricing page, help centre, known-limitations article and security overview. Spokenly details are from its pricing page, Local Only Mode documentation and open-source statement.
| Wispr Flow | Spokenly | |
|---|---|---|
| Where speech is processed | In Wispr's cloud, always; "an internet connection is required" | On your Mac with local Whisper or Parakeet models; or in the cloud with Pro or your own keys |
| Free option | Full service, 2,000 words a week on desktop and 1,000 on mobile | Local models: "Unlimited use", "$0 forever", no account. Your own API keys: $0 to Spokenly, you pay the provider |
| Paid plan | Pro: $15 per user a month, or $12 billed annually | Pro: $99.99 a year (shown as $8.33 a month) |
| What paid adds | Unlimited dictation, longer Notetaker history, shared dictionary, team workspace, priority support | Managed cloud models, hosted AI cleanup, sync across devices, priority support |
| Text cleanup | Built in: filler words, punctuation, self-corrections | Its pricing table lists Apple Intelligence for the free local plan, your own LLM key for the free keys plan, and hosted cleanup in Pro |
| Network block | None; the service needs the internet | Local Only Mode disables "all network activity except local model downloads" and allows localhost |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS |
| Meeting notes | Notetaker on Mac and Windows | Not listed on the pages we read |
| Training | "Improve the model for everyone" is on by default for Free and Pro and can be turned off | Local models keep audio and text on the device; Spokenly's privacy policy says its backend does not store recordings made with its cloud models and "immediately forwards them to third-party transcription services" (its ChatGPT plugin is the stated exception: it keeps an encoded copy temporarily for playback) |
| Audits | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA BAA | None found on the pages we read |
| Source code | Proprietary | "Not open source and is not available on GitHub" |
| Refund | Not stated on the pages we read | 14-day money-back guarantee on Pro bought on spokenly.app |
What do you give up with each?
With Spokenly's free local models, you choose and download a model, and the quality depends on that model and your Mac. Hosted cleanup and sync are Pro. "Free" with your own keys is free only of Spokenly's fee: its pricing page says "You pay the provider directly at their usage rates."
With Wispr Flow, every dictation travels to Wispr's servers in the United States, and nothing works offline. Its security overview says model improvement starts on for Free and Pro; turn it off under Settings → Data and Privacy. In return you get no setup, the same cleanup on four platforms, and audit documents. Is Wispr Flow safe? lists each setting.
How does Local Only Mode work?
Spokenly's Local Only Mode blocks the app's internet connections, with two exceptions: model downloads from Spokenly's CDN or Hugging Face, and connections to localhost so locally hosted models still work. Spokenly says it also blocks the "minimal analytics" it otherwise collects, and that if an online model is selected, "transcription fails because network requests are blocked". That failure is useful: it shows you a cloud setting is still on. This is Spokenly's description; we have not audited it.
Wispr has no equivalent, because its Enterprise Privacy page says it does not offer on-premise or offline deployment. See Does Wispr Flow work offline?.
What does each cost over three years?
List prices as of 1 October 2026, one person, USD, before tax, assuming prices do not change.
| Option | Year 1 | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Spokenly local models | $0 | $0 |
| Spokenly with your own keys | Provider usage fees | Provider usage fees |
| Wispr Flow Free | $0 | $0 |
| Spokenly Pro, yearly | $99.99 | $299.97 |
| Wispr Flow Pro, annual | $144 | $432 |
| Wispr Flow Pro, monthly | $180 | $540 |
Wispr Flow pricing and Spokenly pricing cover monthly billing and student discounts.
Choose Wispr Flow if…
- You want polished text with zero configuration.
- You use Android, or want the Notetaker.
- You are always online and cloud processing is allowed.
- Your organisation needs SSO, a SOC 2 report or a BAA.
Choose Spokenly if…
- You want unlimited dictation for $0.
- You need offline dictation or local-only processing.
- You want one switch that blocks network access.
- You already pay for an OpenAI, Deepgram or Groq account.
- You use Linux.
How do you test both in 15 minutes?
Both are free to start. Use made-up content.
- Install both (4 minutes). Grant Microphone and Accessibility. Wispr uses Fn by default; give Spokenly a different shortcut. In Spokenly, download a local model and turn on Local Only Mode.
- Dictate a messy note in your mail app (3 minutes). "Hi Yusuf, so, um, the invoice is 8,140 dollars, not 8,410. Ship it Friday the 3rd, no, Monday the 6th. Copy Dr. Halvorsen."
- Compare. Check both names, both amounts and the corrected date. Note how much cleanup each did.
- Turn Wi-Fi off and repeat (3 minutes). Expect Wispr to fail and Spokenly's local model to keep working.
- Try your jargon (5 minutes). Two sentences with your own names and terms. Add misses to each dictionary and retry.
If Spokenly's free output needs no more fixes than Wispr's for your writing, you may not need a subscription at all.
A third option
Spokenly's local tier already gives free offline dictation, so most readers can stop there. SuprFlow is a paid alternative for Mac users who want local speech with very few settings: hold Fn, speak, release, and the text is pasted at the cursor, with local cleanup of punctuation, capitalization and numbers. It costs $125 once for up to five Macs you own and needs Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later. It has no free tier, no Local Only switch, no Windows, Linux or phone app, and no meeting notes or audit reports. SuprFlow vs Spokenly and SuprFlow vs Wispr Flow compare them.
Questions people ask
Is Spokenly a free alternative to Wispr Flow?
Yes. Spokenly's local Whisper and Parakeet models are free with no word cap, which covers the core job of dictating into any app. You give up Wispr's built-in cleanup, Android app and Notetaker unless you pay or add your own keys.
Does Spokenly work offline when Wispr Flow does not?
Yes. Spokenly says its local models work "completely offline". Wispr says Flow needs an internet connection because transcription runs in the cloud.
Is Spokenly or Wispr Flow more private?
With local models and Local Only Mode, Spokenly says audio and text never leave your device. Wispr always sends audio to its cloud, but lets you turn off training and cloud storage, and publishes audit reports.
Related guides
- Wispr Flow pricing
- Is Wispr Flow safe?
- Spokenly pricing
- Superwhisper vs Spokenly
- Free Wispr Flow alternatives
- Best offline dictation app for Mac
Sources
- Wispr Flow — Pricing
- Wispr Flow Help Center — What is Wispr Flow?
- Wispr Flow Help Center — What to expect from Flow: accuracy and known limitations
- Wispr Flow Help Center — Security and privacy overview
- Wispr Flow — Enterprise Privacy
- Spokenly — Pricing
- Spokenly Docs — Local Only Mode
- Spokenly — Open source statement